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Prostate Health Score Calculator — Free IPSS Assessment | Enavec Pharmacy

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Prostate Health Score Calculator — Free IPSS Assessment | Enavec Pharmacy
🏥 IPSS Framework · Evidence-Based · Private

Prostate Health
Score Calculator

Assess your prostate health using the internationally validated IPSS clinical framework. Get your personalised score, urinary symptom analysis, and targeted support recommendations.

Clinically validated IPSS
10 questions · 3 minutes
Completely private
Nigerian screening guidelines

⚕ This assessment is for educational awareness only and does not constitute medical diagnosis. If you have urinary symptoms or concerns, please consult a qualified urologist or healthcare provider.

Question 1 of 10 10%

Prostate Health FAQ

Clear answers to the most common prostate health questions

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that occurs naturally with ageing. As the prostate grows, it can compress the urethra and restrict urine flow. BPH affects approximately 50% of men in their 50s and up to 90% of men in their 80s. Common symptoms include weak urine stream, difficulty starting urination, frequent urination (especially at night), incomplete bladder emptying, and urgency. BPH is not prostate cancer and does not increase cancer risk.
Early signs of prostate problems include: increased urinary frequency (more than 8 times per day or more than 2 times per night); weak or interrupted urine stream; difficulty starting urination (hesitancy); feeling of incomplete bladder emptying; sudden strong urge to urinate; and urinary leakage or dribbling after urination. Pain or burning during urination is more typical of prostatitis (prostate infection). Any of these symptoms in men over 40 warrants a prostate health evaluation.
The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) is a validated, internationally used clinical questionnaire to assess the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH. It consists of 7 urinary symptom questions (each scored 0–5) plus one quality of life question. Total symptom score is classified as: 0–7 (mild), 8–19 (moderate), 20–35 (severe). The IPSS is used by urologists worldwide to guide treatment decisions and monitor disease progression.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Nigerian men and the leading cause of cancer mortality in men across sub-Saharan Africa. Nigerian men of African descent have a significantly higher risk compared to European populations — with incidence rates among the highest in the world. The disease is frequently diagnosed at a late stage in Nigeria due to lack of screening awareness. Men of African descent over 40 should discuss PSA screening with their doctor — 5–10 years earlier than guidelines recommend for other populations.
Several evidence-based interventions support prostate health. Diet: a Mediterranean-pattern diet rich in tomatoes (lycopene), cruciferous vegetables, green tea, and omega-3 fatty acids is associated with reduced prostate cancer risk. Saw palmetto extract (320mg daily) has clinical evidence for reducing BPH symptoms. Beta-sitosterol plant sterols improve urinary flow in BPH. Zinc supports prostate cellular health. Regular exercise reduces BPH progression. Limiting caffeine and alcohol reduces urinary urgency.
PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) is a protein produced by prostate cells. A blood test measuring PSA levels is the primary screening tool for prostate cancer. Normal PSA levels are generally below 4 ng/mL in men under 70. Men of African descent should consider discussing PSA screening from age 40 due to their significantly higher risk. Men with a father or brother with prostate cancer should also start earlier screening discussions.
See a doctor promptly if you experience: inability to urinate (urinary retention — a medical emergency); blood in urine or semen; significant pain in the lower abdomen, back, hips, or pelvis; or urinary symptoms significantly impacting quality of life or sleep. For milder symptoms, see a doctor if you are over 50 and have never had a prostate evaluation, or if you are of African descent over 40.

Understanding Prostate Health

The prostate gland — a walnut-sized structure sitting below the bladder and surrounding the urethra — is one of the most important and least discussed aspects of men's health. Every man who lives long enough will develop some degree of prostate enlargement (BPH), and prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Nigerian men. Yet despite this prevalence, prostate health remains severely under-screened and under-discussed — largely due to cultural stigma and limited health awareness.

BPH vs Prostate Cancer: Two Different Conditions

A common misconception is that BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) leads to prostate cancer — this is not true. BPH and prostate cancer are distinct conditions with different causes, different treatments, and different risk trajectories. BPH is simply an age-related enlargement of the prostate that compresses the urethra and causes urinary symptoms — it is not malignant and does not become malignant. Prostate cancer, by contrast, originates in the epithelial cells of the prostate and can spread to bones and lymph nodes if not caught early. Both conditions can coexist in the same man.

The African Descent Risk Factor

One of the most significant and under-appreciated facts in men's health is that men of African descent have the highest prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates in the world. Nigerian men face prostate cancer risks approximately 50–100% higher than European men, and the disease typically presents earlier and more aggressively. Current international screening guidelines (which recommend PSA discussion beginning at age 50–55 for average-risk men) were developed primarily in European populations and significantly underestimate appropriate screening ages for men of African descent. The emerging clinical consensus is that men of African descent should begin PSA screening discussions from age 40, or from 35 if there is a family history of prostate cancer.

The Role of Diet in Prostate Health

Nutritional factors play a significant role in both BPH and prostate cancer risk. Lycopene — the carotenoid pigment responsible for the red colour of tomatoes, watermelon, and red peppers — has the strongest dietary evidence for prostate cancer risk reduction. Cooking tomatoes in oil (as in tomato stew) dramatically increases lycopene bioavailability, making Nigerian tomato-based cooking particularly beneficial. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) contain sulforaphane, which has demonstrated anti-prostate cancer activity in laboratory and epidemiological studies. Zinc is the highest-concentration mineral in the prostate — deficiency, which is common in Nigeria, is associated with increased prostate cancer risk.

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